The present invention relates to golf set up, putting stroke and swing practice aids. More particularly, the present invention relates to tools and methods for adjusting a golfer's stance when addressing a golf ball. Even more specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus and methodology that assesses the left or right rotation of a golfer's hips from a square stance as a determination of the most desirable stance line for balance to putt or swing a golf club.
Golf is a game of skill requiring exact coordination in order for a player to bring a relatively small club face in proper contact with an even smaller golf ball. This applies to putting or full swing. Recently, much effort has been expended to improve golf scores by incorporating modern materials and manufacturing techniques into golf equipment. Furthermore, hundreds of modern training aids have been developed in an effort to characterize and refine the biomechanics of a golfer's swing.
Unfortunately, the training aids primarily are directed to training golfers to use the same conventional golf stance and golf swing, even though each golfer has a different physiology requiring different golf set-up. For example, conventional golf wisdom teaches a set-up to the golf ball where the golfer's feet, hips and shoulders are parallel to the intended line of ball roll or flight (target line.) This instruction standard is the same for all golfers. As but one example, the Professional Golfer's Association (PGA) of America Teaching Manual describes a stance where feet, knees, hips and shoulders are parallel left of the target line as the most sensible standard from which to begin with a student. The PGA manual further states that this parallel left set up may not be the best for the student to swing from and adjustments may be necessary due to various anatomical differences.
Similarly, a training aid to teach parallel left of target line for stance alignment, foot placement, ball position and a visual memory reference for aiming at a target is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,801. A similar disclosure is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,539 whereas a teaching aid assists a golfer in visually aligning their hips, thighs and shoulders producing a stance that is parallel to the target line. U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,288 describes a stance alignment device positioned on the ground between a golfer and his golf ball. A golf alignment device that aids a golfer in maintaining a perpendicular relationship to his target is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,298. A golfer's stance positioning device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,583,739 and 5,171,017 wherein the golfer's feet are set on a line parallel to the target line. An alignment training device is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,175. The device is used to set the golfer's body and foot position in reference to a guide upon which the golfer aligns his swing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,258 describes a practice board where a golfer stands to practice a set up position. A similar disclosure is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,106 which describes a golf set-up template. The golfer stands on the template and the ball is placed on a positioning arm for a straight shot, a slice or a hook shot.
Unfortunately, neither the PGA manual nor the other prior art disclosures provide instruction to assess individual anatomical differences in students nor are measurement standards presented to determine or instruct the proper set-up position where the conventional set-up is not optimum.
Thus, there is a need for a methodology and apparatus which measures and instructs golfers as to a proper alignment stance on an individual basis.
Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a methodology and apparatus for providing proper golf set-up alignment that is inexpensive and simple to use.